Fiber treatment



Patented Aug. 27, 1946 FIBER TREATMENT Fred J. Schiessler, Pearisburg, 7a., assignor to e1- anese Corporation oi America, a. corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application August 26, 1944, Serial No. 551,445

6 Claims. (01. 117-1395) This invention relates to the conditioning of staple fiber materials and relates more particularly to the conditioning of staple fiber materials, having a basis of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose, to render the same more amenable to textile processing operations.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved process for the treatment of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose staple fiber materials.

Another object of this invention is the treatment of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose staple fiber materials whereby static electricity developed during combing, carding and spinning operations may be easily and quickly removed.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following detailed description.

In processing staple fiber materials having a basis of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose, which are to be spun into yarns, threads, and the like, various liquid finishing agents are applied to said staple fiber materials to impart the desired frictional and eleccompositions are reasonably emcient and in a large measure impart the desired processing characteristics to the staple fiber materials. The finishing agents are applied to the cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose staple fiber materials by spraying the fibers with an aqueous emulsion oi the finishing agent or by passing the fibers through an aqueous bath containing the desired amount or finishing agent dispersed therein. Normally, the aqueous emulsion or dispersion is applied at about room temperature.

I have now discovered, however, that ii said finishing agents are applied at temperatures above normal room temperatures, 1. e. at temperatures of 40 to 45 C. and preferably at 50 C., the anti-static properties of said treatedstaple fibers are substantially improved. In addition, the treated fibers possess to an enhanced degree, all the necessary characteristics for trical properties thereto. These finishing agents 2 enable the treated staple fiber materials to be spun into yarns in a smooth and even manner and at the same time permit the static electricity generated as a result of the friction between the fibers and between fibers and machine elements to be removed. The presence of charge of static electricity on the fibers creates a. substantial problem since it not only causes the short lengths of fiber to stick to the machinery but causes them to resist adherence to each other during spinning operations. This difllculty is particularly aggravated when the textile operations are conducted under conditions of low temperature and low humidity.

The finishing agents employed are usually applied to the staple fibers in the form oi an aqueous emulsion and, after the removal 01' the water, the finishing agent is left uniformly distributed over the fibers. While a wide variety of finishing agents have been employed, very advantageous results have been obtained, for example, by employing finishing agents comprising a suli'onated long chain higher fatty acid, a. sulfonated vegetable oil, mineral oil, an organic electrolyte and blending agents having a spreading or penetrating action, such as long chain aliphatic alcohols or alkyl substituted phenols, the acids present being substantially neutralized by adding sodium hydroxide and a hydroxyalkyl amine, such as trlethanolamine, thereto. Such smooth and even spinning into yarns.

In order further to illustrate my invention, the following example is given:

Example A staple fiber finishing agent having a basis of partially sulionated oleic acid and partially suli'onated peanut oil is applied in the form of a 2% aqueous emulsion at a temperature 01 50 C. to cellulose acetate filaments of about 3 denier per filament and a staple fiber length oi about 1.5 inches.

The mode oi application of the emulsion of conditioning agent comprises passing the staple fibers in the form 01' a web or batt through the aqueous emulsion oi the finishing agent contained in a trough, the fibers being compressed as they enter the trough, allowed to expand therein so as to absorb the emulsion and then squeezed as they leave the trough. The operation places about 1.25%, y weight, of finishing agent on the staple fibers. After evaporation of the water, the fibers are then processed into yarns. The processing characteristics, and particularly the anti-static properties, are found to be substantially superior to those 01 cellulose acetate staple fibers treated in the same way with the same emulsion of finishing agent but at temperatures 01' 25 C. to 35 C.

The finishing agent employed is prepared by reacting a. mixture of oleic acid, a vegetable oil, such as peanut oil, and mineral oil with 20% oleum whereby the oleic acid and vegetable oil are partially suliated and/or sulfonated and then adding to the sulionated mixture a spreading and penetrating agent, i. e.. diamyl phenol. as well as triethanolamine and aqueous sodium hydroxide so as to substantially neutralize any free acid. Water and a fungicide such as sodium ortho-phenyl phenate may then be added to inhibit the growth of undesirable organisms in the resulting mixture. The preparation 01' said finishing agents is more particularly described in co-pending U. 8. application 8. No. 470,662, filed on December 30, 1042.

While this invention has been more particularly described in connection with the treatment of staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate. the processing qualities of staple fibers havin a basis of other organic derivatives of cellulose may be improved in a similar manner. Examples of other organic derivatives oi cellulose are cellulose esters, such as cellulou propionate and cellulose butyrate. mixed esters such as cellulose acetate-propionate and cellulose acetate-butyrate, and cellulose ethers such as ethyl cellulose and benzyl cellulose.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of iilustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Havin described my invention. what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a process for rendering staple fiber having a. basis of an organic derivative of cellulose more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product oi a mixture or a long chain higher fatty acid, a vegetable oil and mineral oil with oleum, having added thereto a penetrating agent and neutralized with alkali and a hydroxyalkyl amine. the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent to said fibers at a temperature of at least 40 C;

2. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis oi an organic derivative oi cellulose more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product c! a mixture of a long chain higher fatty acid, a vegetable oil and mineral oil with oleum, having added thereto a penetrating agent and neutralized with alkali and a hydroxyalkyl amine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form oi an aqueone emulsion to said fibers at a temperature of at least 40 C'.

1 from.

then removin the water therefrom.

5. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product of a mixture of oleic acid, peanut oil and mineral oil with 20% oleum, having added thereto diamyl phenol and neutralized with sodium hydroxide and triethanolamine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form of an aqueous emulsion to said fibers at a temperature of at least C.

6. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto, comprising the reaction product of a mixture of oleic acid, peanut oil and mineral oil with 20% oleum, having added thereto diamyl phenol and neutralized with sodium hydroxide and trlethanolamine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form of an aqueous emulsion to said fibers at a tempera- 60 ture of from 40 to C.

Certificate oi! Correction Patent No. 2,406,407.

FRED J.

It is hereby certified read charges; line 49, for organic should be read with these corrections record ofthe case in the Patent Oifice.

that errors appear in the printed spe numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 1, line 31 read inorganic; and thatthe said August 27, 1946. SCHIESSLER cification of the above for charge Letters Patent therein that the same may conform to the Signed and sealed this 5th day of November, A. D. 1946.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

F. J. SCI-HESSLER.

penetrating agent, i. e.. diamyl phenol. as well as triethanolamine and aqueous sodium hydroxide so as to substantially neutralize any free acid. Water and a fungicide such as sodium ortho-phenyl phenate may then be added to inhibit the growth of undesirable organisms in the resulting mixture. The preparation 01' said finishing agents is more particularly described in co-pending U. 8. application 8. No. 470,662, filed on December 30, 1042.

While this invention has been more particularly described in connection with the treatment of staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate. the processing qualities of staple fibers havin a basis of other organic derivatives of cellulose may be improved in a similar manner. Examples of other organic derivatives oi cellulose are cellulose esters, such as cellulou propionate and cellulose butyrate. mixed esters such as cellulose acetate-propionate and cellulose acetate-butyrate, and cellulose ethers such as ethyl cellulose and benzyl cellulose.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of iilustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Havin described my invention. what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a process for rendering staple fiber having a. basis of an organic derivative of cellulose more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product oi a mixture or a long chain higher fatty acid, a vegetable oil and mineral oil with oleum, having added thereto a penetrating agent and neutralized with alkali and a hydroxyalkyl amine. the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent to said fibers at a temperature of at least 40 C;

2. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis oi an organic derivative oi cellulose more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product c! a mixture of a long chain higher fatty acid, a vegetable oil and mineral oil with oleum, having added thereto a penetrating agent and neutralized with alkali and a hydroxyalkyl amine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form oi an aqueone emulsion to said fibers at a temperature of at least 40 C'.

1 from.

then removin the water therefrom.

5. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto comprising the reaction product of a mixture of oleic acid, peanut oil and mineral oil with 20% oleum, having added thereto diamyl phenol and neutralized with sodium hydroxide and triethanolamine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form of an aqueous emulsion to said fibers at a temperature of at least C.

6. In a process for rendering staple fibers having a basis of cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations by applying a conditioning agent thereto, comprising the reaction product of a mixture of oleic acid, peanut oil and mineral oil with 20% oleum, having added thereto diamyl phenol and neutralized with sodium hydroxide and trlethanolamine, the step which comprises applying said conditioning agent in the form of an aqueous emulsion to said fibers at a tempera- 60 ture of from 40 to C.

Certificate oi! Correction Patent No. 2,406,407.

FRED J.

It is hereby certified read charges; line 49, for organic should be read with these corrections record ofthe case in the Patent Oifice.

that errors appear in the printed spe numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 1, line 31 read inorganic; and thatthe said August 27, 1946. SCHIESSLER cification of the above for charge Letters Patent therein that the same may conform to the Signed and sealed this 5th day of November, A. D. 1946.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

F. J. SCI-HESSLER. 

